104 



YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES 



HUMMINGBIRDS: 

 Family Trochilidae 



BLACK-CHINNED HUMMING- 

 BIRD (Archilochus alexandri): 3'/j-4 

 in. Above green with bronze irides- 

 cence; chin black, bordered by irides- 

 cent violet band which, in turn, is 

 bordered by ichite collar; below ash- 

 gray, tinged chiefly on sides with dull 

 green. Female: White thumb-marks on 

 outer tail feathers: under parts, includ- 

 ing throat, chiefly white: throat with 

 faint dark flecks. 



Inhabits mountains, foothills, can- 

 yons, and gardens in lowlands during 

 the summer. Nests chiefly in deciduous 



BLACK-CHINNED 

 HUMMINGBIRD 



ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD 



J 



J' 



trees along stream bottoms in the Up- 

 per Sonoran life-zone. In Yosemite re- 

 gion, S. V. at lower elevations, higher 

 in late summer. Observed at El Portal, 

 Yosemite Valley, and Mono Lake. 



ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Ca- 

 lyptc anna): 4 in. Above greenish; fore- 

 head and throat iridescent crimson; 

 throat with elongated feathers on each 

 side: under parts dusky with green 

 tinge. Female: Throat usually flecked 

 with crimson: white thumb-marks on 

 tips of outer tail feathers. Largest hum- 

 mingbird of the region. 



Frcciucnts broken chaparral and 

 woodland. Br;>?ds chiefly in the Upper 

 Sonoran life-zone but widely distributed 

 when not breeding. In the Yosemite 

 region R. in the foothills and a S. V. 

 to the Transition life-zone. 



RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Sclas- 

 phorus rujus): 3/2-4 in. Above rufous 

 with faint greenish tinge to head and 

 sometimes back; throat iridescent cop- 

 pery red or brilliant crimson bordered 

 below with white band; below rich 

 brown; rufous on sides. Female: Above 

 green, tinged wjth rufous; throat some- 

 times with some red: faint rufous on 

 sides; whit*^ thumb-marks on outer tail 

 feathers. 



M. chiefly in lowlands and foothills 

 when moving north, and along the 

 mountains when returning south. M. 

 in the Ycsemite region. Most likelv to 

 be seen at higher elevations in July and 

 August when in southbound migration. 

 Seen above 12,000 feet. Parsons Peak. 



ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD (Selas- 

 phorus sasin): V/2 in. Back metallic 

 green: tail reddish-bronn : throat cop- 

 pery red; below rich brown exc^Dt 

 white on breast. Female: Essentially 

 like female rufous hummingbird. 



S. \^ in Transition and Canadian 

 life-zones of Sierra during postbreeding 

 southward migration, when it ranges 

 widely. C. V. to Yosemite region. Has 

 been obser\-ed in Yosemite Valley and 

 up to Badger Pass and Gin Flat. 



